Push button



Patented Aug. 5, 1924.

UNITED STTES P T E N LEE P. HYNES, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TOCONSOLIDATED CAR-HEATING COMPANY, F ALBANY, NEW YORK,

A CORPORATION 0F WEST VIRGINIA.

PUSH BUTTON.

Application filed. January 10, 1919. Serial No. 270,517.

T0 all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that LLEE P. HYNEs, a citizen of the United States, residingat Albany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Push Buttons, the following beinga full, clear, and exact disclosure of the one form of my inventionwhich I at present deem preferable.

For a detailed description of the present form of my invention,reference may be had to the following specification and to theaccompanying drawing forming a part thereof, wherein- Fig. l is ahorizontal and Fig. 2 a vertical section of my device.

My invention relates to a push button particularly designed for use onrailway vehicles in connection with signaling systems, including a bellor buzzer for notifying the motorman when a passenger wishes to get off.For this special purpose no prior push button that I am acquainted withis entirely satisfactory, particularly with the metal cars and highvoltages now employed. Such buttons are usually inserted on the postcapping between the windows or in a similar location convenient to thepassengers reach.

It is important tohave a small, attractive button, mechanically strongand well insulated electrically, in view of the high voltage nowgenerally used on signaling systems. As all the wiring is hidden behindthe post capping or sheathing of .the car it is essential that thebutton be capable of ready connection to and disconnection from thewiring without removal of the post capping. It is also important thatthe part of the button extending back into the side of the car be assmall as possible, since in most cars the space for receiving it islimited. .Yet the button and its parts must be mechanically strong andhighly insulated in spite of the restriction in size. To meet theserequirements I have devised the button of the present application.

Referring to the drawing, A represents the capping of the post B.Although here shown as made of wood, the post and capping may be ofmetal, so far as my button'is concerned, since it does not depend forinsulation on the wood and may be applied without change to a metal postand a metal capping. C is a moulded block of insulating materialcylindrical in form with a seating iange D projecting laterally aboutmida way of its length. E is a metal shell enclosing cylindrical block Cwhich is secured in place within t-he shell by a washer F, that issecured in turn by upsetting the edge of the shell over it from theoutside.

In the front face of block C a cavity G is formed and concentric withthat cavity is a round opening in the face of/the shell containing thefianged button H. The cavity G forms a chamber which receives the innerenlarged portion of said button. The shell is also formed withperforated ears J, J, by which it may be screwed to the capping. Therear end of the button is flanged and rounded, the flange being seatedagainst the inside surface of the shell with only the small pushingextension projecting outside. A helical spring O is seated in a circulargroove in the bottom of cavity G, the outer end of the spring carrying acircular contact disc K that bears against the rounded end of the buttonI-I. Thus the parts of the device are readily assembled and heldtogether without screws. The button I-I will be placed in its receivinghole in the shell; then the block C with the spring O and disc K inplace therein will be inserted in the shell and secured by the washer D.Through the block C extend two offset bars P1 and P2, the front ends ofthese bars being adjacent to Contact disc K and their rear ends beingoffset on each side of a barrier Q that projects from the rear end ofblock C. These rear ends of the bars P1, P2 are provided with bindingscrews for the respective circuitwires which pass up through the postinto the cavity S that receives the rear end of the button-structure.The binding screws pass through the offset ends of bars P1, P2 and underrecesses in the block C. In use, my device is furnished in permanentlyassembled condition, it being unnecessary to open it and reassemble itin the car in order to make the electrical connections and place it inoperating position. There are merely the two external terminals of barsP1 and P2 to be manipulated; these are connected to the respective leadwires (which will be of sufcient length to reach out in front of thecapping) and the device then pushed into its circular receiving recessand secured to the capping by the screws through ears J, J. By thearrangement described, I secure adequate mechanical strength andinsulation lea! that stands a regular shop test of i2000/voltsalthouglrtlie blocks() is a-t its frearend but iive-eighths of' an inchin diameter `with an over-all length ot one and one-quarter inches.Obviously ythe pressing vin of the button H will bring the disc K intocontact with the two outer extremities of barsfll, 1PZ and close theelectric circuit through the wires connected to said bars.

Vhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

ll. Ain electric push button comprising -a shell having an openingtherein, an insulating lblock secured within said shell and hav-4 ing arecess in its outer'end registering with said opening, a lbutton workingin said opening and having an ven'laiged portion located within saidrecess, conductor bars embedded within said block and having endsprojecting into said recess, a contact -piece within said recess andmovable independently of said button, and a spring acting to normallypress said contact piece and said button away from the lprojecting endsof said conducting bars, said spri-nglbearing againstthe contactvpiececontiguous to the ,periphery of the latter.

, 2. An electric push button comprising a shell `having an `openingtherein, an insulating block secured 4within said shelland hav ing arecess in its outer end registering with said-opening, the inner end ofsaid bloc-k having a projection providing an insulating barrier, labuttonworking in the opening of said shell and having an enlargedportion within said recess, vconducting bars having ends projecting intosaid recess the other ends A4ott said conducting bars projecting on`opposite sides off said insulating lbarrier, la contact vpiece vwithinsaid recess and movable v independently ot said button, and a springacting to normally press said Contact Ypiece vand said button away fromthe projecting Yends of said conduct-ing bars, said `spring bearingyagainst the contact piece contiguous lto -tlie periphery of lthelatter.

Signed at Alba-ny, N. Y., J an. 7, -1919.

f LEE fr. Hynes

